Railway-car.



No. 737,403. RATRNTRD AUG. 25,1903

L. J. HARRIS.

RAILWAY GA APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15, 1901. N0 MODEL. 10 SHEETS-SHEET 1..

jwewn' m: nonms PETERS co. PNOTQUTMO WASHINGTON, n. c.

PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903.

No. 737,403. y

L. J. HARRIS. RAILWAY GAR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16, 1901.

10 SHEETS-$111131 2.

N0 IODEL.

.IHI N IU I HHHHH I I IHM I l l l I I I I l I I I I I l l l I I I l I ll THE wunms PETERS cov PNOTU-LITNO. msnmmou. u c,

No. 737,403. I PATENTED AUG. 25,1903. L. J. HARRIS.

RAILWAY GAR.

APPLIUATION FILED JAN. 15, 1901. no MODEL. 1o slums-sum a.

AV/ A PATENTBD AUG. 25, 1903.

L. J. HARRIS.

RAILWAY GAR.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 15, 1901.

1o SHEETS-SHEET 4.

N0 MODEL.

PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903.

L. J. HARRIS. RAILWAY GAR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15. 1901.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

N0 MODEL.

No. 737,403, PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903'.

'L. J. HARRIS. RAILWAY GAR.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 15. 1901. N0 MODEL.

10 SHBETS-SHEET 6.

IVITNESSES:

ATTORNEY.

me mums PETERS co. PNoTo-umu WASHINGTON 01c.

PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903.

L; J. HARRIS.

RAILWAY CAR.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 15, 1901.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 7- H0 MODEL.

yMmv J h w MKYHL WV W W W W W W mh mhfi m ATM/M No. 737,403. .PATENTED AUG. 25,1903.

L. J. HARRIS.

RAILWAY GAR.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 15,1901

NO MODEL. v 10 SHEETS-8HEBT s.

. I 3 770 77 0 5 e g I m I i i.

ill/IIIIIIIIIIIIIII/IIIIIII/fll W W jlj gf/ m: Noam PETERS (20., bnoruumoq wAsHmuYuN, n. c

l0 SHEETS-$111331 9- PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903.

L. J. HARRIS. RAILWAY GAR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15. 1901.

.ZiwenZnx xfxix PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903.

L. J. HARRIS. RAILWAY OAR.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 15. 1901.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 10.

N0 MODEL.

we NORRIS PETERS co. FHQIO-LITHOUWASNVNGTON. n. c.

Patented August 25, 1903.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Loom J. HARRIS, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

RAILWAY-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 737,403, dated August 25, 1903.

Application filed January 15, 1901. Serial No. 43,347. (No model.)

1 9 all warm it ntcty concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIE J. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Oars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention comprises certain improve ments in railway passenger-cars, and more particularly in that class of cars which are convertible from a drawing-room or day car to a sleeping-car, an example of which will be found in Letters Patent of the United States, No. 403,265, granted to me May 14, 1889.

My present improvements are intended to provide improved means for supporting the berth-trays or beds in position, while also permitting them to be quickly and easily raised and lowered, so that the time occupied in getting the beds into position for use and in getting them out of the way shall be reduced to a minimum. Heretofore it has been usual to raise the berths from the berth-pockets by turning a worm-gear or the like by means of a crank, which operation necessarily consumed much time. One of the important ob jects of my present improvements is to provide such an arrangement of devices as shall permit the porter to raise the berths from the berth-pockets with practically no delay at all, thereby at the same time avoiding entirely the use of any special mechanism for this purpose.

These and other features of my invention will be more particularly described and set forth in the specification and claims forming a part thereof.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated some of the modes of applying the principle of this invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete car, showing the drop portion containing the berth-pockets. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic View, in side elevation, indicating the various positions and movements of the parts of the berth-section. Fig. 3 is an interior view of the car, showing the floor-sections raised in position to support the berth and showing also my improved curtain-rod support in operative position with respect thereto. Fig. 4 is a detail showing in elevation the curtainhanger in its closed position. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing my improved curtainhanger and its support. Fig. 6 is a'perspective view showing a portion of the berth-section and of the berth with its supporting and equalizing mechanism. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the berth-tray detached from its support. Fig. 7 is a detail View showing a portion of the construction of the equalizing spring rollers. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the berth-tray containing its equalizing and count-erbalancing mechanism. Fig. 9 is a similar view of a modified construction. Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation of the same. Fig. 11 is a side elevation showing the locking mechanism which operates to keep the berth in position. Fig. 12 is a plan View of the berthtray, showing a modified form of equalizing mechanism. Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 14 is an elevation showing the berth construction of the end compartment of the car, where owing to the presence of the trucks the pockets or recesses in the floor cannot be employed. Fig. 15 is a similar view showing the upper and lower berths in position for use. Fig. 16 is an end elevation showing diagrammatically the two positions of the upper berth in the end compartment. Fig. 17 is a plan View insection, illustrating the movement of the end partitions or berth-supports.

The general outline of the car is substantially the same as in my patent above referred to, that portion of the bottom of the car extending between the trucks being dropped for a considerable distance to form the pockets for the berths. The berth-sections comprise the two folding and overlapping floorsections a a, the upper and lower berthsb b, and may be fitted with the folded lids or covers 12 all as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Referring now to Figs. 3 4., and 5,I.will describe my improved curtain-support. As therein shown, the curtain-support comprises two curved arms 0, joined together at their outer ends by the curtain-rod 0, upon which the curtains are supported when the berths are made up. These curved arms 0 slide in curved ways or grooves formed in the slide of the framework of the car, as indicated at 0 One feature of my present invention consists in providing means to prevent the hind ing and straining that the curtain-support is subject to in being moved into or out of operative position. The means that I have herein shown for that purpose comprises a longitudinal shaft 0 provided at each end with pinions 0 which engage teeth formed on the edge of the arms 0. It will be obvious that when the curtain-rodis pulled out the shaft and its pinions must cause both arms to move to exactly the same extent, thus making it impossible for one to get in advance of the other, thus binding or straining the frame. In the day-time the arms telescope back into the frameor side of the car, leaving them in position to be easily drawn out for use at night. i

In order to avoid making the operation of raising and lowering the berth a very slow and tedious one, I have devised means for counterbalancing each berth-tray, whileleaving it entirely free to be quickly lifted or depressed by the porter, and. in order to overcome any difficulty that might be caused by moving one end of the berth or one side of the berth in advance of the other I have equipped the berth-trays with equalizing de- Vices, so that all four corners must move in exact unison. In Figs. 6 to 13 I have illustrated the means for putting into practice this invention. As therein shown, the vertical berth-sections dare provided with toothed racks d, which are engaged by pinions e, se cured to transverse shafts c at the ends of the berth-trays. The berth-trays are also pro vided with a longitudinal shaft f, mounted in bearings at the rear of the berth-tray and provided with miter-gears f, which engage miter-gears e on the transverse shaft 6. By reason of this construction any movement of one shaft must produce an equal and corresponding movement of the shaft at the other end of the tray. By reason of this connection all four pinions must move at exactly the same rate of speed. Hence the four corners of the tray must always maintain a level.

In order that the raising of the berth may be accomplished with the least possible effort, I have provided means for counterbalancing or equalizing the weight of the berth. To this end I may employ any suitable form of spring-drum, so arranged that the tension of the spring is made to substantially equalize the weight of the berth-tray. This spring may be coiled in the end shafts e, as shown at g, or it may be coiled in the longitudinal equalizing-shaft f, as shown at h, after the Well-known manner .of a spring shade-roller.

I have shown in Fig. ,7 one well-known manner of securing the tension-spring so as to give the proper action to the equalizing spring-rollers. In this case one end of the spring h is secured to a stationary spindle h, which penetrates one end of the roller and which is rigidly secured to the wall of the berth-tray in order to prevent rotation of the spindle. The other end of the spring h is fastenedto the interior of the barrel of the spring-rollerfat any suitable point. I also provide a special device for locking the berthtray securely against movement. The form of locking device herein shown comprises the rotatable disk t' and the locking rods or connections 70, which are provided at their ends with toothed sectors or dogs 7c, adapted to engage pinions e on the, end shafts e. The rods may be passed through supportingbearings, as shown at 70 The actuating-disk i may be provided with a handle '11, adapted to be grasped by the operator. When the berth-tray is in the pocket, this handle lies normally in a horizontal position, and when in this position the disk 2' will be so disposed as to force the ends of the locking-rods 70 into engagement with the pinions e To raise the berth, it is only necessary for the porter to reach into the berth-pocket, grasp the handle, and exert an upward pull upon it. The handle is thus caused to assume the vertical position, as shown in Fig. 11, thus releasing the rods 7c from engagement with the lockingpinions a, while the continued upward pull by the operator serves to raise the berth to the desired position. Thereupon the operator drops the handle to its original horizontal position and securely locks the berth-tray in place.

The equalizing device by which all four of the pinions e are caused to move at exactly the same rate makes it possible for the berth to rise without binding at any point, and the tension of the counterbalancing-springs is such that no effort is required beyond that which is necessary to overcome simply the inertia and friction of parts. The counterbalancing-springs also prevent anyaccidental fall of the berth if for any reason the operator should let go before it is locked in place.

While I have shown a longitudinal shaft and miter-gears for equalizing the movement of the two end shafts it will of course be understood that any suitable form of mechanism may be used for this purpose, and in Figs. 12 and 13 I have shown the same principle carried out by the use of sprocket-chains m, runnin g over sprocket-wheels m 112*, the sprocketwheels m being geared to move in unison by means of the intermeshing spur-gears m As the end portions of the car cannot conveniently be provided with the berth-pockets on account of the space needed for the trucks, the form of berth construction used at the ends of the car must be somewhat varied. In Figs. 14 to 17 I have illustrated a simple and convenient construction of berth suitable for the end compartments. As therein shown, the lower berth or bed 0 is permanently supported at a proper distance above the floor to form a seat for the passengers. The upper bed or berth 0 is hinged to the frame of the car at the desired level, as shown at 0 and is so disposed that in the day-time it hangs vertically from its hinges, so as to form a back for the seat 0. Both aboveaand below the level of the berth 0 are hinged pairs of horizontally-swinging frames 0 0, which normally are folded against the side of the car or partition, forming, as it were, panels in the same, but which after the upper berth has been swung to the horizontal position arethus swung out to stand at right angles to their supporting-wall, so as to form end partitions for each berth. Moreover, the lower hinged panels when moved into this position form a support for the upper berth. The strain on the hinges may be relieved by providing the lower berth 0 with end ledges 0 upon which the lower hinged panels 0 are supported. Suitable locking-bolts may be employed to hold the swinging panels 0 0 in engagement with end ledges o o of the berths.

It will be understood that I do not confine myself to the specific means shown and de scribed for accomplishing the various objects of my invention.

\Vithout attempting to set forth all the changes in form, construction, and arrangement that may be made in the practice of my invention or all the uses to which my invention may be applied, what I claim is-- 1. In a railway-car the combination of the vertical end supports, the berth-tray supported thereby so as to have unimpeded vertical movement, means for counterbalancing the Weight of the berth to prevent it from falling of its own weight, and means for locking the berth into fixed engagement with the end-supporting sections substantially as described.

2. In a railayw-car, the combination of the end-supporting sections, the counterbalanced berth-tray, the equalizing mechanism carried by said tray and connected with said end-supporting sections, said equalizing mechanism being arranged to permit the berth-tray to be raised or lowered without impediment by the application of pressure to the berth, substantially as described.

3. In a railway-car the combination of the end-supporting sections, the berth-tray, suitable connections for supporting the berthtray from the end sections while permitting the berth-tray to be raised and lowered by the application of pressure directly to the berth-tray, and means for locking theberthtray against movement at the desired elevation, substantially as described.

4. In a railway-car, the combination of the end-supporting sections, the berth-tray, the transverse shafts mounted at the ends of the berth-tray the pinions secured to the shafts and arranged to engage the adjacent end sections and means for connecting the transverse shafts to compel them to rotate in unison, said connecting means being arranged to allow unimpeded movement of the berth-tray by the direct application of pressure by the operator, substantially as described.

5. In a railway-car the combination of the end-supporting sections, the movable berthtray, the transverse shafts having positive engagement with the end sections, a connecting-shaft for equalizing the movements of the transverse shaft without interfering with the raising of the tray by direct pressure, one or more of said shafts containing a coiled spring for counterbalancing the weight of the berth-tray, substantially as described.

6. In a railway-car the combination of the end-supporting sections, the berth-tray, the transverse shafts arranged at the ends of the tray, the pinions secured to said shafts to engage the end sections, a longitudinal shaft having positive engagement with the transverse shafts in order to equalize their movement, a coiled spring arranged inside said longitudinalshaft to counterbalance the weight of the berth, and means independent of the longitudinal shaft for locking the transverse shafts against movement, substantially as described.

7. In a railway-car the combination of the end-supporting sections, the counterbalancing berth-tray, means for supporting the berthtray from the end sections, while permitting its free vertical movement, means for looking the berth at any point and means for throwing the locking means into and out of engagement with the supporting means, substantially as described.

8. In a railway-car the combination of the end-supporting sections, the movable berthtray, means for supporting the tray from the end sections while permitting its free movement, the sliding arms, and means for actuating them to produce a fixed engagement between the berth-tray and the end supports through the medium of the supporting mechanism, substantially as described.

9. In a railway-car, the combination of the end supporting sections, the berth-tray, means for the shafts and pinions forming a connecting-support between the tray and the end supports, locking-rods having teeth to engage pinions on the supporting-shafts and the handle for lifting the berth and actuating the locking-rods to engage their cooperating pinions, substantially as described.

10. The curtain-hanger for a railway-car or the like, comprising the arc-shaped arms adapted to telescope into the side of the car or supporting-frame, the connecting-pole and means for equalizing the movement of the two arms substantially as described.

11. The curtain-hanger for a railway-car comprising the telescoping arms, the connect- ICC ing-rod, the equalizing-shaft having engagehorizontal position to form a bed above the a lower berth, substantially as described.

13. In a railway-car, the combination of the lower berth disposed to form a seat, the

upper berth hinged to swing into either a vertical or horizontal position so as to form either a back-rest to the lower berth or an independent bed, the hinged panels arranged to swing outwardly to form end walls-for the lower berth and a support for the upper berth, substantially as described.

14. In a railway-car, the combination of the lower berth having the vertical end ledges, the hinged panels arranged to swing outward and rest on the end ledges, the upper berth hinged to fold down over the panels when they are in their inmost position and to rest upon the top edges of the panels when said panels are in their outward or supporting position, substantially as described.

15. Ina railway-car the combination of the lower berth arranged at a convenient height .to form a seat, the upperrberth hinged to 

